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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26669506">A Little Bit Closer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/daughterofawolf/pseuds/daughterofawolf'>daughterofawolf</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Criminal Minds (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Because we all know Emily is a lesbian and tv producers are just cowards, Bisexual Spencer Reid, Demisexual Spencer, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Humor, Lesbian Emily Prentiss, Reader-Insert, This is completly self-indulgent and I'm publishing it anyway, bisexual reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:36:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,558</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26669506</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/daughterofawolf/pseuds/daughterofawolf</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dr. Spencer Reid finally joins the reader and the team for a night out at the bar, but when the reader's ex shows up unexpectedly you end up learning some new things about each other.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s), Spencer Reid/Reader, Spencer Reid/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>133</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Little Bit Closer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Is it always this loud in here?" Reid leaned into you in the dark booth, straining to make his voice heard over the thrumming music.</p>
<p>You were surprised he had joined you tonight. Prentiss, Morgan, and Garcia had invited you out shortly after you joined the team and somehow Fridays at the local dive bar had become something of a ritual for the four of you. Rossi had joined you a time or two and even Hotch had been bullied into coming once, but the boy genius had never before graced you with his presence.</p>
<p>"But of course, my dumpling!" Penelope responded loosely, smiling over her umbrella-topped drink, "Loud, dark, sticky: all the makings of the best kind of bar. This is a place of revelry!" </p>
<p>You loved Penelope's tendency to speak like a medieval LARPer after a few drinks and eyeing the empty glasses next to her, you guessed you were probably only an hour or so out from her referring to every man who approached her as Milord.</p>
<p>"Still, it makes it really hard to hear anyone. I'm pretty sure that defeats the purpose of spending time together outside of work." </p>
<p>You couldn’t help noticing how strange it felt to have Spencer’s body pressed against yours. He was usually so careful about personal space, but he hadn’t even complained earlier when you squeezed into your regular booth. You’d tried to give him as much room as possible but he’d seemed to give up on keeping space between you, although whether this unexpected closeness  was in an attempt to hear, or a result of the two beers you'd watch him slowly sip relaxing his usually strict social rules you couldn't tell. </p>
<p>"C'mon Reid, it's not that bad. And besides, we know you can read lips." Prentiss raised her eyebrows over her long-stemmed glass. </p>
<p>"I'm just happy you agreed to come with us. I never thought I'd live to see the day Boy Genius would join me for a beer! When you started I wasn't even sure you were legal. I guess you just needed the right incentive, huh Shea?" Morgan finished his sentence with a wink, causing you to look down into your half empty glass, grateful that you weren't prone to blushing.</p>
<p>Teasing you and Spencer about your "relationship" had been one of Morgan's favorite jokes for the past couple of months, which hadn't been easy considering you <i>did</i> actually have a crush on Spencer and Reid himself seemed easily flustered by any mentions of romance. You looked up from your drink expecting to see him looking away the way he usually did but found him calmly sipping his beer and meeting Morgan's eyes unfazed. </p>
<p>"Maybe I did."</p>
<p>Huh. Well that was unexpected. Maybe Spencer was finally going back to the classics and using the "pretend-it doesn't-bother-you-and-they'll lose interest" tactic. Although, you knew about Reid's history with bullying and never got the sense that he had been particularly good at taking that advice. </p>
<p>You <i>had</i> been the one to ask him if he'd come tonight, but you'd asked before so it's not like he only said yes because it was you. Things had felt different between the two of you the last couple of weeks, but you had largely convinced yourself that was the result of Spencer's embarrassment over Morgan's teasing and your own wishful thinking. Until now that is. You studied his face from the side. He looked good tonight, his hair was getting longer again and you liked the way it swooped across his forehead. You could imagine running your hands through it. You slid your gaze down to where his beer met his lips and—</p>
<p>"Okay, I need another drink." Penelope pushed her way out of the booth only slightly unsteadily, interrupting your unabashed staring. It was probably lucky, you're not sure how long you could have continued to tipsily caress Spencer with your eyes before everyone, including him, noticed. </p>
<p>"I should probably go with her." You downed the rest of your now-watery cocktail and moved to stand when your eyes caught on a familiar face near the bar.</p>
<p>"SHIT!" You quickly ducked under the table causing Spencer to spill his beer as you crouched near his legs. </p>
<p>"Shea are you okay?" Spencer peered down at you, concerned. Now you definitely <i>were blushing</i>. Hopefully it would be too dark under the table for anyone to tell.</p>
<p>"I'm fine," you squeaked out "just...my ex is here. It didn't end well and I..."</p>
<p>Spencer nodded and you risked a glance up to see all of your teammates now peering at the bar goers, leaning forward eagerly to catch a glimpse of your love life history, except Spencer who was still looking down at you with a half frown on his lips.</p>
<p>"Well, well, well, big bad special agent Shea hiding under a table because you're too scared to chat with an ex. Can't say I blame you" Morgan seemed to be enjoying himself far too much "So! Tell us who it is! Is it manbun? The suit dude? Please tell me it's not <i>that</i> guy."</p>
<p>"Morgan,” you hissed “it may have escaped your notice but I am currently hiding under a table. I have no idea who you're pointing at and I'm not going to tell you anything. I'm just going to wait under her until the coast is clear. Just pretend I'm not here"</p>
<p>"Listen, sweetheart, if you need me to beat some guy up just tell me okay? Nobody puts baby in a corner, or under a table or whatever." </p>
<p>He said it lightly but you could tell Morgan was serious about the offer, which would be kind of sweet if his protectiveness wasn't so misplaced. You barked out a laugh. Of course Morgan assumed, why wouldn't he? </p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"It's fine, Morgan. Don't worry about it.” You waved your hand in a gesture only the gum on the underside of the table would see. “Ugh I thought Sam moved. Why is this happening to me?"</p>
<p>"Sam?" Emily snapped her attention to you "Is that the one that broke your record player?" </p>
<p>Emily had heard more of your romantic history than the rest of the team. </p>
<p>"Yep." The breakup had been your fault, really. Forgetting your anniversary was a pretty big deal, even if things had already been on the rocks and you'd had a big case that week. You were 21, hand-picked for the bureau straight out of college and much more concerned with being the best special agent than the best girlfriend. You'd like to think you were better now, even if your next couple of relationships hadn't been that successful. Wow, maybe you were a lousy girlfriend. Hopefully whatever karma you'd picked up saving people from deranged murderers would make up for it and you wouldn't be seen. </p>
<p>You leaned your head back against the padded seat you’d previously been sitting on. You know, it wasn't that bad under the table. Sure it was sticky and cramped but you could get used to the beer smell and you got to hang out with Spencer's legs which were much less confusing than the rest of him, especially his face and—</p>
<p>Morgan interrupted that particular train of thought, standing up from his seat and stretching. </p>
<p>"Well if Shea's not going to tell us anything about her romantic conquests, I may just have to work on my own and I think I see a perfect candidate." </p>
<p>You heard movement as he sauntered towards the bar.</p>
<p>"Shea" Emily's voice sounded slightly strained, like she was trying not to laugh. </p>
<p>"What?" </p>
<p>"You need to come up here and see this."</p>
<p>"No way, Sam will totally see me and notice I’ve been hiding under a table!"</p>
<p>"Seriously, right now." </p>
<p>Something about her voice convinced you and you cautiously ducked your head out from under the table, leaning back hoping that Spencer would block you from view.</p>
<p>"Oh. My. God." Because there was Derek Morgan in his element. You could see the way he leaned in, his easy confidence, the playful smirk, but what caught your attention was <i>who</i> he had set his sights on; a woman with messy dark ringlets, warm brown skin and a tight black dress stared at him, short red fingernails curled around the stem of a Martini glass. </p>
<p>"No way. This is not happening."</p>
<p>"I'm pretty sure it is." Emily leaned back in the booth sipping her drink. </p>
<p>"What?" Reid looked confusedly between you and Prentiss. </p>
<p>"That's Sam." Emily was laughing for real now and you had the urge to lie your head on the table, not sure whether to be horrified or amused yourself. </p>
<p>"Sam? Oh." You watched with interest as the realization dawned on Reid's face. "That's your ex. Morgan is flirting with your ex." </p>
<p>"Yep." you sighed. "It's definitely not going to work. I know for certain she does not play for his team." You reached for Emily's drink and downed the last sip, not sure you could take much more of this evening at even your present amount of sobriety. </p>
<p>"I didn't know you were, uh—” </p>
<p>You cut your eyes towards Reid who was fiddling with his napkin like it was the world's worst Rubik's cube.</p>
<p>"Bisexual." You cut him off. </p>
<p>He stopped and raised his eyes to yours, still nervous but clearly trying not to avoid you. Eye contact from Reid was rare.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry if you didn't think you could tell us—Or me, I guess, if the others already know. I know the atmosphere at the bureau is a bit—" </p>
<p>"Unbearably straight?" Emily muttered sardonically.</p>
<p>"Reid it's okay," you put your hand on his "it wasn't like I was afraid you'd be jerks about it. I'm not in the closet, it just never came up. Emily knows but she's different. I want you to know I trust you with things, you're my...friend." You weren't quite sure how to finish that sentence and you both looked away flustered for a second. "Plus, you may be a bit right about the atmosphere at the bureau. I was a little afraid of being treated differently, or fetishized."</p>
<p>"I know what you mean. I've, uh, definitely been afraid of being treated differently" Spencer stumbled over his words looking away again as your alcohol-slowed mind tried to make sense of that comment. He couldn't mean what you thought he meant, could he? </p>
<p>"Spencer, you're—"</p>
<p> "Bisexual, yeah. Also bisexual. Well, biromantic demisexual if you want to be exact about it. I find the split attraction model is really helpful in..." he trailed off as you noticed you smiling at him </p>
<p>"Spence that's great! I'm, um, glad you told me." </p>
<p>"Yeah, me too."</p>
<p>"Great. Now we can start a Quantico QSA." Emily chimed in, forcing you to realize you had kind of just been holding hands and staring at each other. </p>
<p> "Yeah, I suppose we could," spencer said, smiling. </p>
<p>"Alright kids, I'm going to go rescue Morgan from making a fool of himself. Or your ex from having to deal with him. Either way, that will be my good deed for the evening" Emily gave you one last look and pushed herself out of the booth.</p>
<p>You turned back to Spencer who had an expression you couldn't quite place. </p>
<p>"Looks like it's just us," you said. </p>
<p>"Yeah, uh—” He paused, allowing you just enough time to place this expression as one he wore when he was nervous. “Do you want to get out of here? There's a coffee place a few blocks from here that's open late, or we could just go back to my place and talk. Not that you have to, uh, hang out with me just because we're both—you know, I just meant—" </p>
<p>"Spencer," you put your hand on his arm, stopping his train of thought. "I would love to get coffee with you." </p>
<p>You watched his face light up. How many times recently had you wished you could make him smile like that? Maybe you should have asked him to get coffee a long time ago. You moved slightly closer.</p>
<p>"Can I ask you something?" </p>
<p>Spencer’s gaze flickered to yours, "Sure. Uh, yes. Anything." </p>
<p>"Why did you come with us tonight? I know you don't really like bars." </p>
<p>"Because you asked." He smiled shyly at you. So Morgan had been right after all.</p>
<p>"Can I ask you something else?" You held your breath, hoping you’d read the situation correctly and watched as Spencer nodded.</p>
<p>"Can I kiss you right now?" </p>
<p>His eyes widened and for a second you were afraid you had ruined everything and then he was cupping your head with his hand and pulling your face to his. You smiled against his lips as you finally, finally kissed Spencer Reid. You felt him laugh, the sound shooting sparks down your spine.</p>
<p>"What?" you whispered against his lips</p>
<p>"You sure you're not just doing this to make your ex jealous?"</p>
<p>"No, but she should be," you said as you kissed him again, tangling your fingers in his hair. </p>
<p>It was quite a while later when you pulled apart gasping, suddenly conscious of the fact that you were still in a public bar, with many of your coworkers and you ex present. Spencer looked wrecked in a way you'd never seen him before: pupils blown, hair disheveled, lips pink. You were proud to think you could do that with one (admittedly long) kiss and you felt your face flush as you wondered what else you could do to the boy genius, but instead you said "Coffee?" and smiled as he took your hand and helped you out of the booth. </p>
<p>----</p>
<p>The sunlight was a little too bright the next morning, but your head didn't feel half bad so you should probably be grateful. Probably the hours you spent drinking cheap coffee and eating hashbrowns had helped. You rolled over to find your phone resting on an unfamiliar nightstand. </p>
<p>
  <b>6 unread texts</b>
</p>
<p><b>Emily 12:38 PM</b><br/>
Hey, I'm really sorry about this and I know I'm breaking every best friend code in the book, but I'm totally going to fuck your ex</p>
<p>She is soooo hot</p>
<p>Hoping you'll be in such a good mood tomorrow that you won't kill me ;)</p>
<p><b>Penelope 1:23 AM</b><br/>
CONGRATULAATIONS u go u saucy minx I knew you hads it in u I'm so happpy for u</p>
<p>u will have the most butiful babies in all te lands I love u xxxxoxoxo</p>
<p><b>Derek 1:35 AM</b><br/>
Don't worry I've got Penelope. Where did you disappear off to anyway?</p>
<p>You locked your phone and rolled over to where Spencer was still sleeping, you loved how cute he looked when he slept. You'd only ever seen him fall asleep on the plane, but somehow seeing his hair splayed out across the white pillowcase made it a thousand times cuter. You reached out a finger and gently brushed a wave out of his eyes and he opened them. </p>
<p>"Good Morning." You watched as a smile broke out across his face. "You want to go get pancakes?" </p>
<p>As you kissed Spencer in the too-bright sunlight you decided Emily was lucky, you were definitely in too good a mood today to kill anyone. Even best friends who slept with your ex. Besides you needed her, you had to text someone about the best night of your life.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the first fic I've ever written (well maybe excluding some highschool SuperWhoLock that blessedly never left my Inotes) so constructive criticism is welcome! I just figured at this point Spencer Reid lives in my brain rent free and someone else might enjoy this so please tell me if you did.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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